Name: Get perfectly crispy Korean-style fried chicken every time with this double-fry method
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 70 min
Yield: 32
Ingredients: Neutral oil, to deep-fry; 3 free-range egg whites; 200ml water; 3 tsp sea-salt flakes; 100g sweet rice flour, plus extra to dust; 50g plain flour; 50g potato starch; 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda; 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 16 chicken wings, drumettes and wings separated, wing tips left on; 3 Tbsp sesame seeds, toasted; 4 green shallots, finely sliced; GOCHUJANG CHILLI SAUCE; ½ cup gochujang (Korean red pepper paste); 3 cloves garlic, finely grated; 10cm-piece ginger, finely grated; 80g dark brown sugar; 80ml dark soy sauce; 80ml rice vinegar; 2½ Tbsp fish sauce; 1 Tbsp sesame oil

If you’ve ever wondered why Korean fried chicken is so much crispier than the regular kind, the answer is double-frying. This recipe does it properly, chicken wings fried twice for that signature crisp coating, then tossed in a sticky gochujang sauce that hits sweet, spicy and tangy all at once. It takes a little patience, but the result is the kind of fried chicken that’s genuinely hard to stop eating.

How to make Korean-style fried chicken

Ingredients

Neutral oil, to deep-fry

3 free-range egg whites

200ml water

3 tsp sea-salt flakes

100g sweet rice flour, plus extra to dust

50g plain flour

50g potato starch

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

16 chicken wings, drumettes and wings separated, wing tips left on

3 Tbsp sesame seeds, toasted

4 green shallots, finely sliced

GOCHUJANG CHILLI SAUCE

½ cup gochujang (Korean red pepper paste)

3 cloves garlic, finely grated

10cm-piece ginger, finely grated

80g dark brown sugar

80ml dark soy sauce

80ml rice vinegar

2½ Tbsp fish sauce

1 Tbsp sesame oil

Method

To make chilli sauce, put all ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Cook for 4 minutes or until slightly thickened. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.

Preheat the deep-fryer or pour oil into a large deep saucepan until 15cm deep. Heat to 170°C on a cook’s thermometer or until a cube of bread turns golden in 30 seconds.

Whisk egg whites in a large bowl until foamy. Whisk in water and salt. Sift in flours, potato starch, bicarb and pepper, and mix until a smooth batter forms.

Dust the chicken in a little extra rice flour, shaking off any excess. Add to batter, mixing until well coated.

Divide chicken into 3 batches and deep-fry each batch for 7 minutes or until lightly golden. Put on paper towel, keeping batches separate, to drain. Set aside.

When all chicken has been cooked, deep-fry first batch for a further 7 minutes or until deep golden. Drain again on fresh paper towel, covering loosely with foil to keep warm. Repeat deep-frying and draining with remaining batches.

Once all chicken has been deep-fried again, put in the bowl of sauce, tossing until thoroughly coated. Serve immediately, sprinkled with sesame seeds and shallots.

korean fried chicken — *(Credit: Marina Oliphant )*

Karen Martini Chef

Melbourne chef, restaurateur and food writer Karen Martini has been cooking professionally for more than 20 years. A passionate ambassador for Ovarian Cancer Research, Karen aims to build the awareness of the silent killer that is often misdiagnosed.